A bumper cruise ship season is reflecting brightly in the number of passengers using a shuttle service to visit and spend up in Tauranga's city centre.

The Downtown Tauranga Cruise Ship Shuttle service to the CBD is continuing to gain momentum with latest figures showing more than 5700 cruise ship tourists being delivered to the city centre, with a potential spend of more than $500,000.

More than 5700 cruise ship tourists have been delivered to the city centre, via a Downtown Tauranga shuttle service.

Launched last November, the ‘direct to the CBD' service has been steadily growing; with Tuskany Tauranga Mainstreet spokesperson Sally Cooke saying the figures are 'very encouraging”.

'Tourism Bay of Plenty tell us the average spend by cruise ship passengers on port calls is around $100, and generally higher in Tauranga, so on that basis this initiative has potentially delivered over $570,000 into the city centre. It's an encouraging start.”

Sally says Tuskany Tauranga Mainstreet acknowledges while the potential is there, it's up to the city centre as to whether the tourists spend their dollars.

'We're only just scratching the surface,” says Sally.

'We want to maximise the city centre's share of the lucrative cruise ship market, so we are constantly evolving and improving the service – but at the same time we are always looking, as a city centre, to what else we can do to make the tourists stay longer and spend more.”

Sally Cooke says this requires a collaborative approach.

'It's important that our Downtown Tauranga businesses work with us to see what we can all do to make the city an even more attractive proposition.

'We need to make sure when visitors enter our stores, cafes, restaurants and businesses that they're blown away by the service and offerings.

A vibrant, warm and welcoming atmosphere for the tourists on the days they visit the city will not only make them feel welcome, but the energy and vitality will rub off on everyone who lives and works here, says Sally.

'The benefits are larger than just from the tourists who visit.”

Sally says it's about getting the perfect mix to meet the needs of Downtown Tauranga businesses and the cruise ship passengers.

'We're constantly reviewing and enhancing the service. Since we started in November, we've made many changes including adding extra buses, modifying the schedule of buses and changing the way our ambassador operates.

'The feedback our Mainstreet Ambassador is getting, from the passengers, has been very, very positive.”

Feedback from cruise ship tourists and Mainstreet members, especially those who have been actively engaged in the initiative, is all proving hugely valuable in helping the organisation develop this initiative, says Sally.

Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Rhys Arrowsmith says there's no doubt Tauranga retailers have stepped up this season.

'A strong festive welcoming culture can build upon this momentum and the reputation quickly gets into the cruise passenger community – it really is a mind-set change of ‘Give the customer what they want and you'll get what you want'.”

The $5 return Mainstreet Tauranga shuttle service operates as a regular city centre express service from the iPort to Red Square, Downtown Tauranga and return.

The initiative is a partnership between Tauranga Mainstreet, Bethlehem Coachlines, Tauranga City Council and Tourism Bay of Plenty.